Jovi
Ganongan, supervising operation officer of the DOT-CAR said the activity aims
to promote indigenous food of the region for visitors to taste, aside from
seeing the different tourist attractions.

A cooking
demonstration was witnessed by six prominent chefs – four are instructors at
the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management of the University of the
Cordilleras (UC) and another from the University of Baguio. The other is an
authentic chef in Baguio City.

Prior to the cooking
demo, the chefs first visited the tourist destination of Kiangan like the Open
Air Museum, which is a two-hour trek where one can see the simple lifestyle of
the residents living within the museum.

During the cooking
demo, members of the KHOWA, showed the indigenous foods like the “inlagim
chicken,” “appaku salad,” “pihing initum,” “pinunnog with itab,” “duck inlagim”
an “aggudung” which were lauded by the chef-tourists.

While cooking, local
residents shared and explained to visitors ingredients as well as detailed the
manner of cooking – aimed at educating the chef-tourists and also for their
appreciation of the culture, where food is a big part.

The delicacies were
served to the visitors while having an interaction with the local cooks and
regional chefs/cooks to ensure a healthy exchange in cooking techniques and
food presentation.

“DOT’s culinary
journey project is a mind opener both benefitting the locals and tourists.
There is more to what the eyes can see. It’s a venue for culture to be shared
and cherished not just thru sights but also thru taste,” said Charlynne
Macalalag, HRMT instructor at UC.

She said Kiangan cuisine
is a classic example of how Cordillerans have survived through the years. They
used what nature has to give them and in return they take care of their natural
environment. “The Kiangan cuisine has high potential and can be shared in
Baguio City with the right innovation, without destroying the concept, one can
definitely serve it there,” she added.